Life flow

Well, I have heard from a couple of people that they are actually reading this thing so it looks like it will stick around for awhile.

In the past three days I have had two seperate people e-mail me who both have a parent who has just been diagnosed with cancer. I also recieved the good news that my cousin in Langley had a baby boy named Liam.

It is so odd how life appears so random at times. One person is struck with tragedy, while someone else celebrates a miracle. I am struck that there are really two primary options for viewing life:

1. Life is a random series of events that have no real purpose and which we have no control over.

2. Life is an orchestrated plan of events over which we have some control. These events may appear random but there is Someone orchestrating them for an ultimate purpose which we will see someday.

if you live life believing it is completely random (as my doctor does) then I am not sure how you keep yourself from falling into a deep depression due to the meaningless order of events. But if you follow option 2 then you have a continual spring of optimism because you can rest on the fact that nothing is by chance and nothing is truly wasted in our lives.

This leads up to the biggest apologetic problem facing Christians: why evil things happen to good people. the honest answer is one of ignorance: we simply do not know - we don't have all the facts in front of us. But I have to believe that there has to be a Purpose to all that happens to us. This stuff correspnds with what i'm reading in Calvin's Institutes right now - he has this huge section on providence wherein he goes to some extremes but also writes with such eloquence on the incredible power of God to be in control of all that happens on earth.

This idea of random vs. purpose is discussed in the last episode of Lost this season. It is a clip that could easily be used in a sermon.

Anyways - this is pretty deep stuff. On a lighter note I watched Merchant of Venice tonight - I had seen the play 2 years ago at Bard on the Beach - it is pretty compelling and Al Pacino gives an awesome performance. Tomorrow Father Richard John Neuhaus is speaking at Regetn so I'll let you know what he says.

Adios for now.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Don't forget Season One of The Sopranos when Anthony Jr. asks Grandma Livia "what is the real purpose of life?" Her response: "The world is a jungle. And if you want my advice, Anthony, don't expect happiness - you won't get it. People let you down, and I'm not naming any names, but in the end, you die in your own arms."
4:40 PM
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